This stunning styled shoot took place at The Stratford Park Hotel & Golf Club
The team behind this styled shoot wanted to create something big, bright and bold. “We wanted the photos to be fun and colourful with a touch of elegance,” says organiser Sarah Day from One Day Film Productions. “We began planning in December, 2021, starting with key contacts: Annabel Sarah Bridal and Anthony Hall Photography. We quickly found a venue stylist, White Violet, and exchanged thoughts on how we could bring together all our ideas. I wanted to find start-up companies in the local area, like myself, who were starting their wedding business journey or needed a stronger social media presence. The teamwork shown in this group of suppliers has been astounding. We gelled well together, and I’m super proud of how it all came together to produce such amazing results.”
The models, Hannah and Russ, are a real couple. “Their big day was supposed to be in 2020, but it was postponed due to Covid,” shares Sarah. “After getting their hopes up one too many times, they decided to tie the knot in a registry office and hoped to have their party at another time. However, circumstances changed, and they never managed to have their big day. When the opportunity arose to be the models for this styled shoot, they jumped at the chance so that they could say their vows and get some photos of themselves in wedding attire. Although this is a styled shoot, there was a real love story behind it, and it’s safe to say that we all treated the day like it was a real wedding, with the utmost care and focus.”
New app launches to simplify one of marriage’s biggest admin headaches
Changing your name after marriage can mean updating details with countless organisations, from banks and subscriptions to official documents and employers. New app Name Change Navigator aims to make the process easier, guiding newlyweds through each step from one platform. Founded by Rebecca Dainton, Head of Product at Flutter UK & Ireland, the app was created to reduce the stress and mental load associated with name changes. It supports a range of naming journeys, including traditional surname changes, double-barrelling, blended surnames and other choices following marriage, civil partnership, divorce or personal identity changes. The launch comes as younger generations increasingly rethink traditional naming conventions, with technology offering a more streamlined approach to this often-overlooked part of newlywed life.
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The YouGov Big Survey on Weddings
The journey that begins with "will you marry me" and ends with "I do" transforms a couple's lives in multiple ways, but it also involves a huge number of decisions, as planning a wedding is no mean feat. Every guest will have an opinion on what a wedding should be like: from what's classy and tacky, to which traditions should be followed and which can be discarded. To help prospective couples get a grip on what these potential guests hope to see in a wedding, YouGov's new Big Survey on Weddings examines all these key debates about what should and shouldn't feature on the big day, including looking at the decisions that brides and grooms would make themselves. The study is part a Big Surveys project: a series of in-depth surveys on British society. It was conducted between 7-9 August 2026, with a sample of 1,784 adults in the UK aged 18 and above.
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Brits are swapping the 'big day' for the 'right day' as searches for intimate wedding venues soar
Couples are increasingly choosing quality time over large guest lists, with new search data revealing a growing demand for intimate weddings and stylish registry office ceremonies. According to Google search data analysed by Suit Direct, searches for "small intimate wedding venues near me" have increased by 86% year-on-year, while interest in "micro wedding packages" has risen 23% over the past three months, suggesting more couples are opting for meaningful celebrations that prioritise the experience over extravagance. For many, the legal ceremony is no longer just the paperwork before the "real" wedding. Instead, couples are dressing for the occasion, hiring photographers and celebrating afterwards with an intimate meal or party, proving you don't need a 200-person guest list to make the day feel special.
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Expert at Cake Box, shares 2026 wedding trends
Weddings may be rooted in tradition, but 2026 is seeing couples put their own spin on the big day. From reimagined wedding cakes to more personal, less conventional celebrations, today's couples are increasingly choosing what feels meaningful to them rather than simply following the rules. To explore how wedding traditions are evolving, Okay Rahman, Head of Product and in-house cake expert at Cake Box, shares their insight into the biggest wedding trends of 2026 — and how couples are putting a fresh, modern twist on some of the most-loved elements of the day. He said... "We're seeing that wedding cakes are becoming much more personal in 2026. The traditional tiered cake certainly hasn't disappeared, but couples are feeling less tied to the idea that a wedding cake has to look or taste a certain way. These days, it's being treated as another part of the styling of the day, so the design reflects the couple, the venue and the overall feel of the wedding.
